This is The Pathless Path with Brad Wetzler (formerly Enlightened-ish), my weekly dispatch about how we can brave the wilderness of these tough, post-modern, hyper-capitalist times…together. It’s about storytelling, healing, adventure, the human heart, and the pursuit of the sacred and the holy, too.
Who am I? I’m a widely published writer on adventure, faith and ecumenical spirituality, and mental health.
In a world filled with cynicism, aggression, and toxic influences, it can be challenging to find genuine self-compassion and healing for ourselves. However, my experiences as a facilitator of a unique self-compassion journaling workshops have shown me glimmers of hope and transformed my perspective on how we can heal ourselves and contribute to healing the world. My workshop, "Love Notes from Your Soul," which I present in-person in Austin, Texas, and online, too, introduces participants to a profound process of self-discovery and self-care that transcends the superficiality of our modern culture.
Unveiling the Power of Love Notes
As the creator of the "Love Notes from Your Soul" workshop, I wanted to offer something different from your typical writing workshop, which focused solely on the craft of writing. Instead, I aimed to delve into the art of journaling as a means of self-exploration and healing. In this workshop, I led participants through a carefully curated journey that started with a short free-form meditation and evolved into a soul-searching exercise. This exercise encouraged attendees to choose a question or problem and explore it from various perspectives.
The primary objective was to expand their consciousness surrounding the chosen problem or question. The pinnacle of this transformative process was writing a "love note from their soul." I demonstrated what such a note might look like—compassionate, deeply understanding of their struggles, and gently guiding them toward a path forward.
One remarkable aspect of these love notes was the emotional response they evoked. Participants discovered a novel way to communicate with themselves—foreign but profoundly healing. For a brief moment, they could set aside the aggressiveness that our culture and perhaps their families had ingrained in them, choosing instead to nurture themselves. It was a form of self-parenting that transcended the limitations of their upbringing, reaching deep into the world's soul.
A Transformational Journey to the Heart
The impact of this workshop extended far beyond its immediate setting. It left me with a profound shift in perspective. Witnessing participants' willingness to be vulnerable, soften, and transition from their analytical minds into the expansive realm of the heart inspired a reevaluation of my role in the world.
In a society characterized by confusion, toxicity, and trauma, succumbing to the cynicism surrounding us is easy. Whether it's the narcissistic politics in Washington, the dehumanizing corporate culture that treats workers and the humans who buy the products and services as robotic cogs, or our participation in a culture of self-medication and perpetual busyness, it's clear that we are all part of a complex web of dysfunction.
But there is a way out—a path that leads to the heart. This journey is not for the faint of heart but is necessary in these tumultuous times. Slowing down and tuning into our bodies, minds, and souls can reveal answers that quick and external fixes can never provide. It's a path that rejects the notion that we are machines to be fixed, embracing instead the idea that our healing lies in our humanity.
The Personal Journey to Healing
I, a widely published writer and author, yoga teacher, and the workshop's creator, embarked on a personal healing journey myself. I tell the story in my new memoir, Into the Soul of the World: My Journey to Healing. After achieving success as an adventure writer and traveling the world, I found my backpack filled not with souvenirs but with bottles of pills prescribed to me to treat the PTSD-related depression that dogged me since my teen years. These pills did nothing to heal me; they numbed me so that I couldn't feel anything, making healing impossible. Over a decade, I pursued external achievement so aggressively while holding onto a cynical view of the world that it led to a profound disconnect with my inner self, which then led to my addiction to the pills. I lived in a permanent numbed-out state, and, ultimately, my life collapsed around me.
Years later, after a long, arduous healing journey, I discovered a few daily practices that became my lifeline and kept me emotionally and spiritually centered. These practices are simple yet transformative:
Alone Time: Spending time alone in meditation, chanting, or simply sitting silently with a lit candle allows us to enter the present moment. The heart resides in the present, and we can learn to dwell there with patience and silence.
Disconnecting: Turning off electronic devices is essential. Our hyper-connected world often distracts us from the inner work that needs to be done.
Community: Building meaningful relationships and spending time alone are both essential. According to Carl Jung, when we are in a room with others, we often lose touch with our true selves, focusing instead on pleasing others and seeking safety.
Walking: While the benefits of walking are well-known, it's essential to recognize its role in slowing and reconnecting us with the world around us.
Self-Reflection: Acknowledging and naming our tendencies to run, chase, or be unhappy with ourselves can be a decisive step toward healing.
Love Letters from the Soul: Writing love letters to oneself from the soul, offering compassionate encouragement and advice, is a practice that can nurture self-compassion and foster self-care.
And finally…
In a world overrun by cynicism and aggression, the "Love Notes from Your Soul" workshop reminds us that healing begins within and that by softening our hearts and embracing our true selves, we can contribute to healing the world around us. It's a journey that challenges us to step away from the aggressive societal norms we've created and find solace in the depths of our hearts. As we navigate these confusing and toxic times, it is through love and self-compassion that we can discover the path forward.
If you haven’t bought my memoir, Into the Soul of the World: My Journey to Healing, yet, I hope you will.
Here’s what author Hampton Sides wrote about it:
“Brad Wetzler has led the very definition of an adventurous life, but in Into the Soul of the World, he gives an unflinching account of his interior adventures. Wetzler’s soulful quest, by turns anguished and transcendent, will resonate with readers around the world who struggle to find purpose and a sense of the holy in the ambient jitter of the digital age.”
Are you an aspiring memoirist who has struggled to finish your book? Sign up for my next Write Your Way Home: A Memoir Masterclass, a comprehensive four-week course for beginner and intermediate memoir writers. You’ll walk away with everything—tools, mindset, and confidence—you need to finally write and finish your memoir.
Walking and alone time are huge for me. I need time to process, and the gentle physical movement helps me sort it all out.